Edna St. Vincent Millay

Poetry for Young People

by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Frances Schoonmaker (Editor), Mike Bryce (Illustrator)

"Well-written, engaging introduction...illuminates Millay's personal history and writing...luminous, evocative watercolors...A noteworthy addition to the poetry shelf...both informs and intrigues."-- Booklist . "Luminous, elegant illustrations bring these complex and insightful verses to life...all are fresh and alive and will draw readers into the book."-- School Library Journal . "A good assortment of Millay's poetry."-- Kirkus . "The watercolor artwork creates atmospheric settings for her words."-- Publishers Weekly .

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens, 20th Century

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1999

About the author

Edna St. Vincent Millay was an American lyrical poet and playwright. She received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1923, the third woman to win the award for poetry, and was also known for her feminist activism and her many love affairs. She used the pseudonym Nancy Boyd for her prose work.

This famous portrait of Vincent (as she was called by friends) was taken by Carl Van Vechten in 1933.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely. Mostly melancholy, yearning. Unlike the Wallace Stevens book in the series, these poems each stand alone without helpful introduction. However, the biography in front, the order in which they're included, the illustrations, and the design all give clues as to possible meanings of the poems.

I especially like Dirge Without Music, I suppose because it's a subject I don't much care about and Millay's talent made me care, at least for the one page. I suspect that Tavern is actually also referencing death because of the mention of hill, sleep, and journey's end.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent selection of poems, with glossaries of less familiar words. Mike Bryce chose a somber palate for his watercolor paintings of Millay's poems, which are often serious, dreamy, or melancholy.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this collection of poems to my son while he would eat his meals each day. I especially liked the cadence that composed most of her work- as I was reading them aloud I felt more engaged reading these poems more than others from contemporary antholigies (and Henry was more interested too)! I remember my first introductions to poetry were through rhyming and I feel there is still something very satisfying about an effortlessly rhymed poem.
I gave this only 4 stars because I was surprised about the morbid fascination with death in several poems. As this was compiled for "young people" I didn't really like the death idolization (I mean the very first poem was a kid thinking all the ways to kill themself and then ultimately not to because it would be inconvenient to others. ????
For my own memory, my favorite poems were:
Journey
The Spring and the Fall
Grown Up
The Philospher
Renascence
Sonnet IV
Sonnet VI

[Jahnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this part in the introduction:

She kept a little poetry notebook, which she called "Poetical Works of E. Vincent Millay." She dedicated it to her mother. Cora Millay considered these works to be very important---even more important than keeping the house in order. Later, Millay wrote to her mother, "I cannot remember once in my life when you were not interested in what I was working on, or even suggested that I should put it aside for something else."

Favorite poems in this collections:
- Ebb
- Kin to Sorrow
- Departure
- Sonnet
- Dirge Without Music
- Blight
- Wraith
- The Death of Autumn
- Journey
- Wild Swans

[Tandava Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the watercolor illustrations in this volume. I also quite like Millay's writing, though I don't always like exactly what she writes. So I'm a bit of two minds about her. My favorites here, though, were "Afternoon on a Hill," "God's World," and "Wild Swans." Also, it turns out that "Renascence" is a really remarkable poem, and if you look up the whole thing. It wouldn't work for this context, but including only the first stanza is a travesty, and I'd rather have left it out.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't the most successful of our Morning Time poetry books. The book itself is beautiful--the watercolor illustrations are lovely--but Millay's poetry is less child-accessible than many other classic poets' work. I enjoyed the selections, but I think we'll probably wait to revisit this book until the girls are teens.

[Jory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty poetry that is approachable. Not a comprehensive survey of her work, but a good casual read and wonderful to introduce kids to poetry instead of your typical children’s book fare.

[Amber Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very interesting and I liked that the author gave a overview of the poets life. I like the poem "City Trees" the most.

[Katie]

I try and I try but I simply do not get most poetry.

[Jean Bowen]

Ebb
I know what my heart is like
Since your love died:
It is like a hollow ledge
Holding a little pool
Left there by the tide,
a little tepid pool,
Drying inward from the edge.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually don't like poems, but this outlook on life was interesting to read through that style.

[Leah Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely collection of poems for all ages!

[Merwyn Haskett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already own a complete collection of Millay's poems. I've been a fan of hers since I was a teen. I was spending hours at Browsers in downtown Olympia and came across an old copy of Two Slatterns and a King. I started reading it and wanted to buy it. It was marked as $2, but when I went to buy it I found that was an old mark from decades past and they actually wanted twenty odd for it. I wasn't able to do it at the time.

I grabbed this from the library not because of any hidden gems, I already have all her collected poems. It was the illusatrations, I'd like to see more books illustrated by Mike Bryce but Timberland library only lists this book under his name.

[Jasmine Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of Edna St. Vincent Millay poems are said to be simple but really great poems. Others seem to think the simple words in the poems how understanding and courage. The poem I selected was, “Afternoon on a Hill.” This poem is about reflecting on a quiet afternoon on top of a hill looking at the beautiful scenery. I am not a huge fan of poetry books, but I feel that poetry is a great teaching tool for children, young adults, and adults. This poem will allow the children to use their imagination and to put on their thinking caps.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not realize I had read this book--3 years ago. It is a wonderful book--definitely worth reading again. I especially loved the illustrations. Since my first reading of this book, two of her poems from this book have been added to my collection of memorized poems-- "Travel" and "Afternoon on a Hill".

March 5, 2018: I am thoroughly enjoying these poetry books for young people (even though I am no longer a young people!). The poetry is fun and a number of illustrations in this particular book are very beautiful.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book group read Edna St. Vincent Millay for 2012 poetry month. I happened onto this book because it was the only book solely centered on Millay on the shelves at the Plymouth library. The illustrations with the poems are lovely. I chose to read First Fig and Second Fig to the group.

[dirt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spectacular introduction to the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay. I am eager to get my hands on other books from this series.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edna St. Vincent Millay (Poetry for Young People)
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
This book is a great collection of her poems describing the history and meaning of her poetry written for children.